Justin Bieber and rapper the Kid Laroi kicked off the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards with a rendition of “Stay,” ascending from the sky like angels in leisurewear.
In front of a backdrop designed to look like a mighty mountain, the duo blazed through their hit song. Bieber then segued into his song “Ghost” off 2021’s Justice.
Bieber is up for a total of seven nominations, including Video of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Best Pop. Laroi earned nods for Best New Artist and Push Performance of the Year for “Without You,” his breakout hit.
The duo dropped “Stay” earlier this summer, and it has since made chart history, topping Rolling Stone‘s Top 100 Songs Chart for seven weeks in a row. It’s just the third song in RS 100 history to accomplish that feat after Roddy Ricch’s “The Box” and Olivia Rodrigo’s “Good 4 U.”
The single was co-written by Charlie Puth and Blake Slatkin (24kgoldn’s “Mood”) and follows Laroi’s “Without You,” another Slatkin co-write, which came out late last year. Meanwhile, Bieber will soon drop Justin Bieber: Our World via Amazon Prime on October 8th, a Michael D. Ratner-directed documentary produced by Ratner’s OBB Pictures, Bieber Time Films, and Scooter Braun Films that gives a backstage view of the singer’s return to the stage after a three-year hiatus from performing live. He released his sixth album, Justice, in March.
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Two of California's longest tenured rappers, E-40 and JasonMartin, are providing wise advice for others. They are doing so on their latest collaboration "Too Much," which is out as of this weekend.
The track belongs to E-40 and it's one of many joint efforts. But this one won't get lost in the shuffle thanks to aforementioned message and theme. "It's too much real sh*t going on / Quit worrying about the fake, n****, yeah, yeah," JasonMartin raps on the sticky chorus.
E-40's unmistakable flow is on full display here as well as he drops truth after truth. "Don't worry about the fake 'cause the hate gon' come with the platе / The peons, they hеlla late, they late like holiday freight / And b*tch, I'm one of the greats and that ain't up for debate (Yep)."
Taking this track up a notch is the addicting instrumental. It's laced with West Coast bounce and a sticky piano melody. Overall, E-40 and JasonMartin's "Too Much" is a standout and deserves a spin ASAP.
For the Bay Area native, this single arrives following a multi-decade spanning NPR Tiny Desk performance. He was brought on to kick off this year's Black Music Month and he delivered for them in every way.
Quotable Lyrics:
As long as you don't try to line me up and stab me in the back (Uh)
As long as you don't try to get me chipped and get a player capped (Yep)
Misery love company, but company don't like misery
Now are we getting along? We better be, we family
I finally figured it out, I think I finally figured it out
Stop making excuses for ninjas and giving 'em the benefit of the doubt
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